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United States Patent |
5,525,755
|
Christensen
|
June 11, 1996
|
Removable cover for protecting electrical components during painting or
plastering
Abstract
A removable cover for shrouding an electrical component from the
impingement of dust, plaster, paste or paint during a room surface
finishing process, the electrical component being disposed in an
electrical junction box mounted within a wall and having apertures formed
therein. The removable cover includes a cap member for covering the
electrical component when the removable cover is disposed over the
electrical component. The removable cover also includes at least one plug
member formed on the cap member for coupling the cap member to the
electrical component. The plug member is configured so as to be securely
disposed within an aperture of the electrical component when the removable
cover is disposed over the electrical component.
Inventors:
|
Christensen; Arthur E. (1316 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD 21286)
|
Appl. No.:
|
311249 |
Filed:
|
September 23, 1994 |
Current U.S. Class: |
174/67; 439/135 |
Intern'l Class: |
H02G 003/00 |
Field of Search: |
174/66,67
439/135
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3619477 | Nov., 1971 | Rasmussen | 174/66.
|
5003128 | Mar., 1991 | Grondin | 174/67.
|
5285014 | Feb., 1994 | Gilchrist | 174/67.
|
Primary Examiner: Kincaid; Kristine L.
Assistant Examiner: Cornelison; Michael J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Seidel, Gonda, Lavorgna & Monaco
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A removable cover for shrouding an electrical component during a room
surface finishing process, the electrical component being disposed in an
electrical junction box mounted within a wall and the component having
apertures formed therein, wherein the removable cover comprises:
a cap member for covering the electrical component when the removable cover
is disposed over the electrical component; and
at least one plug member formed on said cap member for coupling said cap
member to the electrical component, said at least one plug member being
securely disposed within one of the apertures of the electrical component
when said removable cover is disposed over the electrical component,
wherein said at least one plug member is integral with and protrudes from
one side of said cap member, and forms a receptacle on an opposite side of
said cap member, said receptacle adapted to receive a plug member of a
corresponding removable cover.
2. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein there are four plug members, said
plug members being positioned for engaging with the sockets of a
dual-receptacle outlet, said plug members having at least one tapered
dimension.
3. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein said cap member is substantially
planar in shape.
4. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein the edges of the cap member are
curved slightly in the same direction as the direction of protrusion of
said at least one plug member.
5. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein said cap member has a chamber
formed thereon for enclosing a portion of the electrical component, said
chamber being formed integral with said cap member and protruding from
said cap member in a direction which is opposite to the direction of
protrusion of said at least one plug member.
6. The removable cover of claim 5 wherein there are two plug members, said
plug members being substantially conical in shape, and said plug members
being disposed on opposite sides of said chamber.
7. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein said cap member and said at least
one plug member are made from a thermoplastic material.
8. The removable cover of claim 7 wherein said thermoplastic material is
chosen from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and
polystyrene, having a thickness in a range between ten and twelve mils.
9. The removable cover of claim 1 further comprising a coating disposed on
at least a portion of said cap member.
10. The removable cover of claim 1 wherein said cap member has a raised
portion which projects in a direction opposite to the protrusion of said
at least one plug member.
11. The removable cover of claim 1 further comprising at least one screw
dome formed on said cap member for covering the head of a screw which is
used to attach the electrical component to the wall.
12. A kit comprising:
a plurality of removable covers for shrouding electrical components during
a room surface finishing process, each electrical component being disposed
in an electrical junction box mounted within a wall and the component
having apertures formed therein;
wherein each removable cover includes a cap member for covering an
electrical component when the removable cover is disposed over the
electrical component, and at least one plug member formed on said cap
member for coupling said cap member to the electrical component, said at
least one plug member being securely disposed within an aperture of the
electrical component when said removable cover is disposed over the
electrical component, said at least one plug member furthermore being
integral with and protrudes from one side of said cap member, and forms a
receptacle on an opposite side of said cap member, said receptacle adapted
to receive a plug member of a corresponding removable cover;
each removable cover being stacked against an adjacent removable cover by
the mating of plug members to receptacles; and
a container configured to envelop said stacked plurality of covers.
13. The kit of claim 12 wherein each removable cover has four plug members,
said plug members being positioned for engaging with the sockets of a
dual-receptacle outlet, said plug members having at least one tapered
dimension, and wherein said cap member is substantially planar in shape.
14. The kit of claim 12 wherein each cap member has a chamber formed
thereon for enclosing a portion of the electrical component, said chamber
being formed integral with said cap member and protruding from said cap
member in a direction which is opposite to the direction of protrusion of
said at least one plug member.
15. The kit of claim 14 wherein each removable cover has two plug members,
said plug members being substantially conical in shape, and said plug
members being disposed on opposite sides of said chamber.
16. The kit of claim 12 wherein each cap member and said at least one plug
member are made from a thermoplastic material.
17. The kit of claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic material is chosen from
the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polystyrene,
having a thickness in a range between ten and twelve mils.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a removable cover for temporary attachment to a
wall-mounted electrical component, such as a switch or an outlet, during
painting, plastering or similar wall surface finishing process to prevent
paint and like materials from impinging on or into the electrical
component.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The installation of electrical wiring circuits, controls and outlets in the
original construction or renovation of an office or dwelling involves
numerous steps, some of which are contingent upon the performance and
completion of other construction tasks. Specifically, the installation of
electrical service in a newly-constructed room typically involves several
stages. After the wall framing is erected, the electrician installs the
in-wall junction boxes which will house the electrical components (e.g.,
switches, outlets, lighting fixtures, etc.), and runs the distribution
cables from a main power circuit-breaker panel to and through the various
electrical boxes in each circuit (e.g., through a switch box to its
controlled outlets or light fixture boxes). The next stage is mounting
each electrical component into its box and connecting its terminals to the
proper wire of the distribution cables, and then attaching a permanent
ornamental cover plate over the box and electrical components, leaving the
switch post or outlet receptacle exposed for access.
It is often not feasible to complete all of the electrical installation
stages during one phase of the room construction. If the electrical
components (switches, outlets, etc.) are installed in the wall boxes prior
to dry-wall seaming, plastering, painting and/or wallcover hanging, the
electrical components have to be masked to prevent paste, plaster, sanding
dust or paint from impinging in and on the components. Consequently, wall
finish and painting is typically performed after the wires have been
strung to the boxes, but prior to the installation and connection of the
electrical components. That is, the electricians work is interrupted after
the boxes are installed and the wires run thereto, and they must wait for
the walls to be finished before returning to complete the wiring of the
room.
If an electrician is working on only a few rooms in one building, or if the
detailed wiring drawings are correctly updated, later completion of wiring
is usually routine. However, if an electrician is involved in numerous
projects or the delay in returning is long, it may be difficult for him to
recall the wiring layout. It is also not uncommon that changes are made to
the electrical layout during construction without the wiring diagrams
being properly updated. Since the wires are now covered by the walls, the
electrician must then spend a considerable amount of time redetermining
the wiring configuration. For example, he may have to redetermine which
wires leading to a box are to be controlled by a particular switch.
A need therefore exists for an inexpensive apparatus for protecting an
electrical component from the impingement of dust, plaster, paste or paint
during room surface finishing, thereby permitting the installation of the
electrical components prior to room surface finishing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a temporary cover to protect an
electrical component from the impingement of dust, plaster, paste or paint
during room surface finishing, thereby permitting the installation of the
electrical components prior to room surface finishing, yet being
sufficiently inexpensive and easily removable for later replacement by a
permanent ornamental cover.
This and other objects of the invention are achieved by a removable cover
which shrouds an electrical component from the impingement of dust,
plaster, paste or paint during a room surface finishing process. The
electrical component, disposed in an electrical junction box mounted
within a wall, has apertures formed therein. The removable cover includes
a cap member for covering the electrical component and also includes at
least one plug member formed on the cap member for coupling the cover to
the electrical component. The plug member is configured so as to be
securely disposed within an aperture of the electrical component when the
removable cover is disposed over the electrical component. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, the plug member is formed integral
with and protruding from the cap member and forms a receptacle on the
opposite side of the cap member, the receptacle adapted to receive a plug
member from a corresponding removable cover thereby facilitating the
stacking of the covers.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed
description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of
the invention which As presently preferred. However, it should be
understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements
and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an outlet cover embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, from line 2--2 and in
the direction indicated by the directional arrows.
FIG. 3 is a section view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, from line 3--3 and
viewed in the direction of the directional arrows.
FIG. 4 is a detail view of one of the plug members of the embodiment of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a view of the plug member of FIG. 4, from line 5--5 in the
direction indicated by the directional arrows of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a front plan view of a switch cover embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6, from line 7--7 in the
direction indicated by the directional arrows of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a section view of the embodiment of FIG. 6, from line 8--8 in the
direction indicated by the directional arrows of FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a detail view of one of the plug members shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a front plan view of a second outlet cover embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 11 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 10, from line 11--11 and
in the direction indicated by the directional arrows.
FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 10, from line 12--12 and
viewed in the direction of the directional arrows.
FIG. 13 is a front plan view of a second switch cover embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 14 is a side view of the second switch cover embodiment of FIG. 13,
from line 14--14 in the direction indicated by the directional arrows of
FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 13, from line 15--15 in
the direction indicated by the directional arrows of FIG. 13.
FIG. 16 is a detail view of one of the plug members shown in FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the, drawings, wherein like reference numerals illustrate
corresponding or similar elements, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the
removable cover 10 for a two-receptacle electrical outlet component. The
outlet component is mounted and connected in an electrical junction box
mounted within a wall. The cover 10 shrouds the outlet component from the
impingement of dust, paste or paint during room and wall surface
finishing.
For purposes of brevity, further reference in this description will be to
preventing impingement of paint during the wall painting process, it being
understood that the same cover will protect against wet plaster and
drywall paste, sanding dust, mastic or adhesive in other types of room
surface finishing. Furthermore, Disclosure Document No. 320230, filed on
Nov. 4, 1992, relates to the present invention and is incorporated herein
by reference.
The removable cover 10 is used as a temporary step in the installation of
electrical service, and is not intended to be a permanent cover of the
electrical component. Instead, the cover 10 is removed after the
completion of the painting process and replaced by a permanent ornamental
outlet-plate.
The removable cover 10 includes a cap member 12 which is configured to
completely shroud or mask the outlet and the edges of the junction box,
and is designed to lie with its perimeter substantially flush against the
wall when the cover is coupled to the outlet as described below. The cap
member 12 of FIG. 1 is shown as a planar rectangular plate. However, since
the electrical component often extends past the plane of the wall, the cap
member 12 may be formed in a slightly convex shape (its edges curved
inward), thereby forming a close seal to the wall surface. While the cap
member 12 is depicted as being rectangular in shape, it should be readily
understood that other shapes may be chosen without detracting from the
invention. As stated above, the shape of the cap member 12 is configured
to shroud the outlet and the junction box from paint, and it is preferable
to configure the cap member 12 with dimensions which are slightly smaller
than the dimensions of the permanent cover plate which will be installed
after the painting process. Additionally, while the cap member 12
illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed to cover a dual-receptacle electrical
outlet, it should be readily apparent that if more than one outlet or
other electrical component is installed in the same or adjacent boxes, the
cap member 12 may also be configured so as to extend, in either direction,
a sufficient dimension to cover all the electrical components.
Alternatively, the covers may be used in multiples to cover any additional
components in a large junction box.
Referring back to FIG. 1, the removable cover 10 has at least one plug
member 14 formed on and extending from the cap member 12, and shaped to
conform to an aperture in the electrical component. The plug member 14
functions as a means for coupling the removable cover 10 to the electrical
component when it is inserted into the aperture. The tight fit of the plug
member 14 within the aperture prevents the removable cover 10 from being
inadvertently dislodged during the painting process. The shape, number,
and spacing of the plug members 14 will vary depending on the type of
electrical component that is installed.
In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 through 4, the removable cover 10 is
configured for use with a dual-receptacle electrical outlet. The cap
member 12 is rectangular in shape and configured with dimensions slightly
smaller than the permanent outlet cover. Each plug member 14 is formed
with a prong shape which will effectively engage a receptacle socket of
the outlet, and the plug members are spaced and aligned such that one plug
is inserted in each socket, to retain the removable cover 10 on the
electrical outlet. For example, for use on standard United States 110 volt
wall outlets, each plug member 14 preferably has a height dimension of
approximately 0.38 inches, a width dimension which tapers from
approximately 0.25 inches to approximately 0.19 inches, and a thickness
dimension which tapers from approximately 0.11 inches to approximately
0.06 inches. These dimensions provide sufficient ease of insertion and
retention of the cover. Four plug members 14 are positioned on the cap
member 12 in a proper configuration for engaging with the corresponding
four sockets when the removable cover 10 is disposed over the electrical
outlet.
In the preferred construction, each plug member 14 is formed integrally
with the cap member 12 by a molding or a vacuum forming process. By
utilizing such processes, it is possible to form the plug member 14 as a
hollow prong open at the opposite side of the cover, thus making a hollow
receptacle 16 on that side. The receptacle 16 can receive a plug member 14
of a corresponding removable cover 10, thereby permitting the stacking of
multiple removable covers 10 upon one another to facilitate packaging and
storage.
A second embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 6 through 9,
illustrates the use of a removable cover 10 with an electrical switch (not
shown). In this embodiment, the cap member 12 has at least one chamber 18
formed thereon for encasing a portion of the switch. For instance, when a
toggle-type or a push-button electrical light switch is installed in a
wall, the post of the switch protrudes from the plane of the wall. In
order to shroud the electrical component, the cap member 12 is formed with
a chamber 18 having sufficient dimensions to properly enclose the
protruding post portion of the switch. The chamber 18 is, preferably,
formed integral with the cap member 12 and protrudes from the cap member
12 in a direction which is opposite to the direction of protrusion of the
plug member 14.
The plug member 14 of the second embodiment is conical in shape for
engaging with a corresponding aperture (here a cover screw aperture) on a
light switch. It is preferable to use two plug members 14, as shown in
FIG. 6, positioned sufficiently apart so as to engage with the two
corresponding cover screw apertures in the switch. In this embodiment, the
height dimension of the plug member 14 is approximately 0.1875 inches and
the diameter of the conical plug member 14 tapers from approximately 0.125
inches to approximately 0.08 inches.
Although the two embodiments have been illustrated as separate and
distinct, the two embodiments may be combined into a single removable
cover. For example, if an outlet and switch are located adjacent to one
another, a single removable cover may be formed with plug members 14 and
chambers 18 as required. In any event, the cover plates may be used in
multiples of the same or in combinations of each.
In both embodiments detailed above, the removable cover 10 is preferably
fabricated from a thermoplastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), which provides good dielectric characteristics, yet is relatively
inexpensive. Other thermoplastic materials such as polyethylene and
polystyrene may also be used. A thickness of ten to twelve mils of PVC
will provide sufficient stiffness for a minimal cost, although it should
be noted that if different material is chosen or if cost is not a factor,
then the thickness may vary significantly. Those skilled in the art can
readily appreciate that other materials, thicknesses, and processes may be
utilized without detracting from the invention.
A bright coating may be disposed on at least a portion of the removable
cover 10 to provide an easy means of identifying the cover 10 when it is
installed on a wall. Alternately, the coating may be configured so as to
reduce the wall paint adhesion to the cover 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, a second and, presently, preferred,
outlet cover embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The cover 10
includes a cap 12 and plug members 14. The cap 12 has a raised portion
12.sub.A which projects outward from the cap 12. The raised portion
12.sub.A assists in maintaining a close seal with the wall by
accommodating situations wherein the electrical sockets extend past the
plane of the wall. Additionally, screw domes 20 may be incorporated for
accommodating the projection of screw heads which are utilized to hold the
electrical component to the wall. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.
10-12, the raised portion 12.sub.A is approximately 5/16ths of an inch
above the cap 12. The plug members 14 have a height dimension of about a
1/2 inch. The screw domes 20 are circular in shape with a 5/16th inch
diameter and project about an 1/8th of an inch frown the cap 12.
FIGS. 13, 14, 15 and 16 illustrate an alternate and, presently, more
preferred embodiment of the switch cover. The cover 10 of this embodiment
includes a cap 12, plug members 14 and chamber 18. The cap 12 includes
screw domes 20 which function to enclose the screw heads which attach the
switch to the wall.
As discussed hereinabove, the ability of a plug member 14 of one removable
cover 10 to be received by a receptacle 16 of another removable cover 10
permits multiple removable covers 10 to be stacked upon one another.
Consequently, it is possible to package a plurality of removable covers 10
within a container for storage or sale as a kit. The stackability of the
removable covers 10 minimizes the volume that the removable covers will
occupy, thereby permitting the use of a smaller container than would
otherwise be required.
Furthermore, while the invention has been disclosed as useful during the
construction of a home or other building, it should be readily appreciable
that the invention may also be used during renovation of a room, such as
when a room is being repainted.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to
the exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those
skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions
and additions may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention.
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